Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-25
MRS. STEVENS MARRIAGE.
1adee Pierrcpont's Contest With
the French Notaries.
: . no Ne7o York tribune

r3. tho Yeao YORK Tribune.
the Etruria arrived from Liverpool
saturday morning, unusually early even
.or that speedy ship. Among her pas
.oroers was Judge Edwards Pierrepont.
.e il we'll known the object of Judge
p,errepont's journey to Europe was to
conduct the negotiations for the settle
uonts and marriage contract OF Mrs.
,dels stevens, formerly Frederick Ste
avs, wife. who was married to the Mar
,uis de TalIeyrand, on Jan. 25. In the
1ttarnoon Judge Pierrepont courteously
,eceiyed a reporter, and consented to
I've history of the much-talked-of
case.
Judge Pierrepont, IRON her childhood.
sha was the daughter OF Joseph Sampson,
an old New Yorker, whose house and
"rounds we're at Broadway and Bond
street on the site now occupied by the
S;p clothing store. | had know her grand
toIher. Col. Livingston, and had trans
acted business for him; and, on the
Mole. my relations with the family were
close. This will explain now L came TO
he called into the matter.
GMrS. Stevens first marriage took place
shout twenty-five years ago. Five chill
am were born, OF whom one has died.
The only son is now living in Colorado
FIR his health. One ofthe daughters, who
ia of age. is with her father, and the two
vounger ones are. under their mothers
care. Mr.. and Mrs. stevens occupied the
hnuse on the southwest corner OF Fifth
syenue and Fifty seventh street, which
now belongs to William G. Whitney.
There began to be differences between
tbem-not about one thing, but about
many. and they grew further and further
anart' The Marquis de Talleyrand, Mrs.
stevens present husband, was a great
friend of MIR. Stevens. Mr.. Stevens
brought him to the house, and he made 1t
n home during one season. The Mar
nuis soon became the friend OF Mrs. Ste-
Tens as we'll as of her husband, and this
with the husbands complete approval"
.Just here" continued Judge Pierre
mont. 81 wish to say that the scandal
which gathered about the friendship of
Mrs. Stevens and the Marquis de ,Talley-
rand was without foundation. do not
mean to be understood that Mrs. Stevens
conduct was not unwlse; but l know that
there was no truth in the scardalous
stories to which it gave rise. For in
stance. when it was common talk that
Mrs. Stevens had run away to Europe
with the Marquis | know that her hus-
band went down to the ship to see them
off. and recommended his wife to the
Paris-the true reason for which the pub
/ lie did not know, and consequently
sought false One-Mr. Stevens was in
continual correspondence with his wife
and with NJ. de Talleyrand as well. Even
now the kndliest relations exist between
Mrs. Stevens and her grown up children.
"However, the differences between hus-
band and wife grew wider, and she at
last decided to seek a divorce. She had
inila r. Nnu nrf nd hnr 0I1If
brought IN the Supreme Court of Rhode
Island. | was her counsel. There was
no bitterness on either side, and MIR.
Stevens conduct was prais worthy. In
fact, a divorce was the simplest and
wisest solution of the problem. The de-
cree was pronounced ON March a of last
year, ana the custody of the two minor
daughters was given to the mother. The
son and daughter VINO were already of
age remained in this country.
81 suppose that during their intimacy
Mrs Stevens and NJ. de Talleyrand fell in
love with each other. 1t was not unnat-
ural that they shoulG do so. AS soon as
the marriage was agreed upon Mrs. Ste
Yens sent tor me to arrange the contract
and the settlements. Her property, which,
though perhaps it does not come up to the
popular estimate Of SIX or seven millions,
is extremely large. 1t includes much real
estate in this city. She owns the property
at Broadway and Bond street, ON which
her fathers house stood; also NOS. 16 and
u and other buildings in Wall street.
Now, the power which the French law
gives to a husband over his wife when
there are no ante-nuptial limitations, can
almost be compared TO the power of the
southern Shareholder over his slave. The
french husband cannot sell his wife, but
with that exception he has almost un-
bounded control over her liberty and her
/ property.
"Well, OF course, neither Mrs. Stevens
nor desired any such state of affairs IN |
her case. l started for Paris in the early |
part OF December and for a month after |
my arrival devoted myself to studying |
Inc French law relating to marriage. Then |
went TO notaries who were TO draw the |
contract. The French notary is not at !
al al IKE the same official in this country. |
mere MS Office Is semI-hereditary, and he |
acts as the depositary Of the deeds and |
settlements Well, the first point over !
wnicn we disagreed was the stipulation |
Nhlch the Frenchman wished to insert in
we contract-that the parties should be |
SUBJECT to the French law, except in such |
particulars as were specifically excepted.
40 lhls l would not agree, and at last
tuey yielded. Then came the question of !
.ne control OF Mrs. Stevens property. l
insisted that this should be absolutely
'esCeO In her. The French LAWYERS
opened their eyes in amazement. They
hSd never heard OF such a thing. It's
hlegal they said. Then show me the
Jaw which forbids it, l replied. They
we're forced to admit that there was no !
sucn law, but still they were not willing
break down old traditions.
. FINALLY they agreed to submit the point
" NJ. Moreau, an eminent lawyer who
nav peen counsel TO the American Lega-
uon and whom l had retained TO assist
NE MT. Moreau admitted that the pro-
Rlseu disposition of the property was not
meeal, although he had never seen the
same lhlng done before; aud at last IL
Vas conceded that Mrs. Stevens should
uasG the absolute control OF her property.
IL neh another point arose. | wished
S SIat Inc contract should be executed i'm
Ouplcate-0ne draft in French ard nc.
Eluing TO French forms and the other in
intnshsh before the American Consul
SI ~, on American soil. NV object
%Ss thls: AS the bulk of the property was
ssa Ainerlcan wished that TRANSACTIONS
%"secting 1t should not be subject to the
NJ 'cgrrlalnty attending the Interpretation
~ french words and phNaaes In Tho